An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

Fourthly, This opening of the ear maketh the soul obedient; Jesus Christ in that great prophecy of him (Psal: 40.6.) to show his ready obedience to his fathers command, saith, Mine ear hast thou opened (or digged) The ear of Christ was never shut in the least, either through ignorance or unbelief; but he is said to have his ear opened, only to show his constant preparedness and readiness for obedience. He came into the world with an open ear to all the will of God; and therefore it followeth in the 7th and 8th verses of that Psalm, Then said I, lo I come, in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart. Christ is brought in by another Prophet speaking to the same point with some little variety, but with very great significancy of expression (Isa: 50.4, 5.) He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned; we usually say, Sleep is in the eye, yet this prophecy intimates a sleep in the ear, thou hast wakened mine ear. What we are to understand by this wakened ear, is clear in the next words of the same prophecy, The Lord hath opened mine ear, that's the word of Eliphaz, and the consequence of opening the ear, set down in the Prophet, is the same now given in this point, The Lord hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious. He doth not say, The Lord opened mine ear, and I heard, but, I was not rebellious; that is, I gave up my self to obey the word or command, which I heard. The same Prophet (Isa: 48.8.) describing the rebellion of the Jews, puts this as the reason of it, Yea thou heardest not, (that is, thou didst not attend) yea thou knewest not, that is, thou didst not understand, yea thine ear was not opened; as if he had said, thine unopened ear was the cause why thou diddest neither attend, nor understand, nor obey the word spoken to thee. So much of the first gracious design of God in speaking to men by dreams ⟨p. 294⟩and visions of the night; Then he openeth the ears of men. The second is given in the latter part of the verse.

Fourthly, This opening of the eare maketh the soule obedient; Jesus Christ in that great prophecy of him (Psal: 40.6.) to shew his ready obedience to his fathers command, saith, Mine eare hast thou opened (or digged) The eare of Christ was never shut in the least, either through ignorance or unbeliefe; but he is sayd to have his eare opened, only to shew his constant preparedness and readiness for obedience. He came into the world with an open eare to all the will of God; and therefore it followeth in the 7th and 8th verses of that Psalme, Then said I, loe I come, in the volume of thy booke it is written of me, I delight to doe thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart. Christ is brought in by another Prophet speaking to the same poynt with some little variety, but with very great significancy of expression (Isa: 50.4, 5.) He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine eare to heare as the learned; we usually say, Sleep is in the eye, yet this prophecy intimates a sleep in the eare, thou hast wakened mine eare. What we are to understand by this wakened eare, is cleare in the next words of the same prophecy, The Lord hath opened mine eare, that's the word of Eliphaz, and the consequence of opening the eare, set downe in the Prophet, is the same now given in this poynt, The Lord hath opened mine eare, and I was not rebellious. He doth not say, The Lord opened mine eare, and I heard, but, I was not rebellious; that is, I gave up my selfe to obey the word or command, which I heard. The same Prophet (Isa: 48.8.) describing the rebellion of the Jewes, puts this as the reason of it, Yea thou heardest not, (that is, thou didst not attend) yea thou knewest not, that is, thou didst not understand, yea thine eare was not opened; as if he had sayd, thine unopened eare was the cause why thou diddest neither attend, nor understand, nor obey the word spoken to thee. So much of the first gracious designe of God in speaking to men by dreams